Rank all U.S. Presidents From Best to Worst

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Cleveland was committed to classical liberalism.

[James L. Buckley]

The best president was probably Coolidge, and the worst was probably Johnson, I don't really know how to organize the other 42 in the middle.

[Sewer]

(Pullam Strike doesn't count)

Why??

[Anthony]

1: Franklin D. Roosevelt
2: Abraham Lincoln
3: Theodore Roosevelt
4: Thomas Jefferson
5: George Washington
6: John F. Kennedy
7: Harry S. Truman
8: Lyndon B. Johnson
9: Bill Clinton
10: Dwight D. Eisenhower
11: Woodrow Wilson
12: John Adams
13: James Monroe
14: James K. Polk
15: James Madison
16: Andrew Jackson
17: Barack Obama (so far)
18: Ronald Reagan
19: William Howard Taft
20: John Quincy Adams
21: Gerald Ford
22: William McKinley
23: Jimmy Carter
24: Chester A. Arthur
25: George H.W. Bush
26: Grover Cleveland
27: Rutherford B. Hayes
28: Zachary Taylor
29: Ulysses S. Grant
30: Richard Nixon
31: Calvin Coolidge
32: Benjamin Harrison
33: Martin Van Buren
34: John Tyler
35: Millard Fillmore
36: George W. Bush
37: Herbert Hoover
38: Franklin Pierce
39: Warren G. Harding
40: Andrew Johnson
41: James Buchanan

I did not include either William Henry Harrison or James Garfield, since I thought it would be unfair to judge them due to their short time in office.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

1: Franklin D. Roosevelt
2: Abraham Lincoln
3: Theodore Roosevelt
4: Thomas Jefferson
5: George Washington
6: John F. Kennedy
7: Harry S. Truman
8: Lyndon B. Johnson
9: Bill Clinton
10: Dwight D. Eisenhower
11: Woodrow Wilson
12: John Adams
13: James Monroe
14: James K. Polk
15: James Madison
16: Andrew Jackson
17: Barack Obama (so far)
18: Ronald Reagan
19: William Howard Taft
20: John Quincy Adams

Yikes.

[WillK]

I think Fillmore was not nearly as instrumental in passing the Compromise as Stephen Douglas was, and when he finally did enter into the fray, he helped kill the Wilmot Proivso.

What I had in mind is Fillmore's response to Texas -- sending troops to New Mexico, submitting an official statement of his position to Congress -- while working to get a compromise passed.  The Wilmot Proviso was a dead-end, never going to pass.

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A bit of a stretch to blame Perry for Japanese imperialism.  

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I wouldn't call Fillmore a "vigorous" enforcer of the FS law; though he did do what he felt the Constitution compelled him to do -- "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed".

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No, your mistake was getting snarky about it; I welcome the debate.

[Anthony]

1: Franklin D. Roosevelt
2: Abraham Lincoln
3: Theodore Roosevelt
4: Thomas Jefferson
5: George Washington
6: John F. Kennedy
7: Harry S. Truman
8: Lyndon B. Johnson
9: Bill Clinton
10: Dwight D. Eisenhower
11: Woodrow Wilson
12: John Adams
13: James Monroe
14: James K. Polk
15: James Madison
16: Andrew Jackson
17: Barack Obama (so far)
18: Ronald Reagan
19: William Howard Taft
20: John Quincy Adams

Yikes.

FDR: The New Deal, led our nation through two of its worst crises(the Great Depression and World War 2.)
Abraham Lincoln: Is freeing the slaves not a big deal to you?
Theodore Roosevelt: Enacted several policies that I believe were good.
Harry S. Truman: Ended World War 2, and promoted good domestic policies.
Lyndon B. Johnson: Civil rights legislation and Medicare.
Woodrow Wilson: Wasn't that great, but quite honestly, he wasn't much better than some of the other presidents listed below.
Barack Obama: Again, this is so far. Depends on how his presidency goes over the next couple of years, this could change. But so far, I think he's an average president. On that note, I ranked him here for preventing the Great Recession from becoming Great Depression 2, for regulating carbon emissions through the EPA, and for beginning the process of withdrawing troops from Iraq.

[WillK]

Why do libertarians love Cleveland so much? I looked him up, and he didn't seem like a great President by any means.

Because Cleveland didn't intervene in the economy (Pullam Strike doesn't count).

Its nonsense not to count the Pullman Strike, since it was direct federal intervention in the economy.
Cleveland also signed the Interstate Commerce Act and set up the Interstate Commerce Commission, so I dont see the facutal basis for saying he didnt intervene in the economy.

[WillK]

...
10.  William Howard Taft
...

Why top 10?

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Why Madison before Monroe?

[Bo]

I wish someone would analyze my list (it's at the very beginning). I want to explain my rankings to everyone.

[Bo]

1: Franklin D. Roosevelt
2: Abraham Lincoln
3: Theodore Roosevelt
4: Thomas Jefferson
5: George Washington
6: John F. Kennedy
7: Harry S. Truman
8: Lyndon B. Johnson
9: Bill Clinton
10: Dwight D. Eisenhower
11: Woodrow Wilson
12: John Adams
13: James Monroe
14: James K. Polk
15: James Madison
16: Andrew Jackson
17: Barack Obama (so far)
18: Ronald Reagan
19: William Howard Taft
20: John Quincy Adams
21: Gerald Ford
22: William McKinley
23: Jimmy Carter
24: Chester A. Arthur
25: George H.W. Bush
26: Grover Cleveland
27: Rutherford B. Hayes
28: Zachary Taylor
29: Ulysses S. Grant
30: Richard Nixon
31: Calvin Coolidge
32: Benjamin Harrison
33: Martin Van Buren
34: John Tyler
35: Millard Fillmore
36: George W. Bush
37: Herbert Hoover
38: Franklin Pierce
39: Warren G. Harding
40: Andrew Johnson
41: James Buchanan

I did not include either William Henry Harrison or James Garfield, since I thought it would be unfair to judge them due to their short time in office.

All the italicized Presidents should be ranked lower in my opinion. All the bolded ones should be ranked higher.

[WillK]

Deleted my previous list so I could make some adjustments.

How I see it:
1   Washington
2   Grant
3   Lincoln
4   T Roosevelt
5   F Roosevelt
6   Eisenhower
7   Monroe
8   Clinton
9   J Adams
10   Harding
11   Hayes
12   Fillmore
13   JQ Adams
14   Taft
15   Arthur
16   Carter
17   L Johnson
18   Truman
19   Kennedy
20   Cleveland
21  McKinley
22   Taylor
23   B Harrison
24   Ford
25   Coolidge
26   Polk
27   Hoover
28   GH Bush
29   Jackson
30   Van Buren
31   Madison
32   Reagan
33   Tyler
34   Buchanan
35   Jefferson
36   Pierce
37   A Johnson
38   Nixon
39   Wilson
40   GW Bush


Unranked Due to Shortness of Term   
W Harrison   
Garfield   
Obama   

[Coburn In 2012]

Can't really judge those before Lincoln since he basically marked the start of the two party system between Republicans and the democRATs. So my list is of those who came after Honest Abe only. Though the top five are easily the best of all 44 and the last five are definately the WORST of the 44.

1. Reagan
2. Dubya
3. Coolidge
4. T Roosevelt
5. Taft
6. Hoover
7. Harding
8. H. w. Bush
9. Ike
10. Grant
11. Nixon
12. Garfield
13. Arthur
14. McKinley
15. Hayes
16. Ford
17. Kennedy
18. Truman
19. Clinton
20. Wilson
21. Carter
22. Johson
23.  Franklin Roosevelt
24.  Barrack Hussain Obama

[WillK]

Can't really judge those before Lincoln since he basically marked the start of the two party system between Republicans and the democRATs.

Why cant you judge those prior?  Doesnt make sense.

[Phony Moderate]

i usd to like ronald reagan but now i dont becase he was an anti-american, socialist librul who tripled the national debt during his presidency. i would say that buchanan was the best president.

also, i have decided that tom coburn is a librul so im supporting true conservative david duke in 2012.

[Anthony]

Can't really judge those before Lincoln since he basically marked the start of the two party system between Republicans and the democRATs. So my list is of those who came after Honest Abe only. Though the top five are easily the best of all 44 and the last five are definately the WORST of the 44.

1. Reagan
2. Dubya
3. Coolidge
4. T Roosevelt
5. Taft
6. Hoover
7. Harding
8. H. w. Bush
9. Ike
10. Grant
11. Nixon
12. Garfield
13. Arthur
14. McKinley
15. Hayes
16. Ford
17. Kennedy
18. Truman
19. Clinton
20. Wilson
21. Carter
22. Johson
23.  Franklin Roosevelt
24.  Barrack Hussain Obama

This is the most partisan list I have ever seen. All you did was put all Republican presidents at the top, and all Democratic presidents at the bottom. It is particularly strange how you put Theodore Roosevelt near the top, even though he was very progressive. Wouldn't that mean that he goes at the bottom of your list. Also, it is disturbing how you George W. Bush, Herbert Hoover, and Warren Harding near the top of your list, yet you put FDR near the bottom of your list.

Oh yeah, and you forgot to include Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison in your list.

[Phony Moderate]

Can't really judge those before Lincoln since he basically marked the start of the two party system between Republicans and the democRATs. So my list is of those who came after Honest Abe only. Though the top five are easily the best of all 44 and the last five are definately the WORST of the 44.

1. Reagan
2. Dubya
3. Coolidge
4. T Roosevelt
5. Taft
6. Hoover
7. Harding
8. H. w. Bush
9. Ike
10. Grant
11. Nixon
12. Garfield
13. Arthur
14. McKinley
15. Hayes
16. Ford
17. Kennedy
18. Truman
19. Clinton
20. Wilson
21. Carter
22. Johson
23.  Franklin Roosevelt
24.  Barrack Hussain Obama

This is the most partisan list I have ever seen. All you did was put all Republican presidents at the top, and all Democratic presidents at the bottom. It is particularly strange how you put Theodore Roosevelt near the top, even though he was very progressive. Wouldn't that mean that he goes at the bottom of your list. Also, it is disturbing how you George W. Bush, Herbert Hoover, and Warren Harding near the top of your list, yet you put FDR near the bottom of your list.

Oh yeah, and you forgot to include Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison in your list.

TR wasnt a progressive he was a parriot unlike the librul democRAT party.

Hoover was a hero compared to that commie FDR and Dudya saved us from the terrist Muslims so think again because you criticize my list.

[Anthony]

TR wasnt a progressive he was a parriot unlike the librul democRAT party.

A parriot? You mean a "patriot", right? And yes, he was a progressive. You can read more about it hear.

http://www.shmoop.com/progressive-era-politics/theodore-roosevelt.html
http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/milthe.html
http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/Lesson_67_Notes.htm
http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/biotr.htm

Hoover was a hero compared to that commie FDR

Then tell me how come Hoover was a one-termer, but FDR got elected president FOUR times. How come under Hoover, unemployment rose from 3% to 25%, while under FDR, it fell from 25% to 14% until the Republicans pressured him into cutting back on spending, which led to a second recession. How come Hoover is often considered one of the worst presidents ever, while FDR is considered one of the greatest.

Dudya saved us from the terrist Muslims so think again because you criticize my list.

What's wrong with Muslims? Seriously. You sound like one of the Germans who believed Hitler was saving them from the Jews.

[Хahar 🤔]

Hey, Anthony, that's not actually Coburn in 2012.

[Anthony]

Oh, is that a fake version of Coburn in 2012?

LOL It's funny, because there probably really are people who are actually like that.

[Bo]

Anthony, did you read my responses in regards to McKinley, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Wilson?

[Anthony]

Oh, you mean in the topic about underrated and overrated presidents?

I just posted my response over there.

[Bo]

Oh, you mean in the topic about underrated and overrated presidents?

I just posted my response over there.

Yes, that's what I meant. Also, I already posted my response to your response.

[perdedor]

Deleted my previous list so I could make some adjustments.

How I see it:
1   Washington
2   Grant
3   Lincoln
4   T Roosevelt
5   F Roosevelt
6   Eisenhower
7   Monroe
8   Clinton
9   J Adams
10   Harding
11   Hayes
12   Fillmore
13   JQ Adams
14   Taft
15   Arthur
16   Carter
17   L Johnson
18   Truman
19   Kennedy
20   Cleveland
21  McKinley
22   Taylor
23   B Harrison
24   Ford
25   Coolidge
26   Polk
27   Hoover
28   GH Bush
29   Jackson
30   Van Buren
31   Madison
32   Reagan
33   Tyler
34   Buchanan
35   Jefferson
36   Pierce
37   A Johnson
38   Nixon
39   Wilson
40   GW Bush


Unranked Due to Shortness of Term   
W Harrison   
Garfield   
Obama   

Both Grant and Harding in the top 10? I'm interested in your reasoning.

[WillK]

Both Grant and Harding in the top 10? I'm interested in your reasoning.

Couple things:

1)   I think the “standard” histories get many things wrong, especially about these two.

2)   I am an economic and social progressive but believe in fiscal conservatism and restraint in foreign affairs -- I think these two fit that.

3)  Sure there was scandal, but not as much scandal as we have been led to believe and none of it can leads back to the President personally (other than making a few bad appointments) -- much of the attention given to scandal at those time was partisan, just like the way I feel about the Clinton impeachment. 

4) Both came into office at a time when things were unsteady in the country and both did a good job of getting things righted.

If you want I could list more specifics about policies etc.